Scope and Content Note
The papers of Ara Mesrobian (1924-2019) span the years 1876-2011, with the bulk of the material dating from 1941 to 1994. The collection documents Mesrobian’s deep interest in rail travel and provides insight into mid-twentieth century rail travel, the operations of railway historical societies, and railfan subculture in the United States.
The collection is primarily comprised of Mesrobian’s correspondence files from 1950 to 2011 and documents travel logistics, railway historical society events and activities, descriptions of trains, railways, and other transportation, and personal and business matters. The correspondence is filed in reverse chronological order within the folders. There is no correspondence from 1962. Mesrobian’s collections of railroad dining car menus, railroad, trolley, and streetcar tickets and ticket books, and other related ephemera also make up a significant portion of the collection. These materials are primarily from the United States and Canada, with a limited amount from Mesrobian’s European and Asian travels. There is also a significant amount of material related to railway historical society meetings and fan trips, including memorabilia associated with the last streetcar to travel over the original electric streetcar system in Washington, D.C. in 1962.